UP TO 100 designers and inventors of new products could develop business and manufacturing ideas at a new Innovations Centre on the Kent University campus. The concept of the facility has already been welcomed in a report and outline planning permission granted for the site at Beverley Farm.

The report was commissioned by Canterbury city council, the county council, the university and the South-East England Development Agency. Now a number of private institutions and companies have expressed interest in backing the venture, which will cost between £4 million and £6 million to build. The aim of the Innovation Centre is to maximise the research capability of the university, which is world renowned.

Chris Luton from the Unit for Regional Innovation and Enterprise, said: "The aim is to help get new high tech ideas and businesses going by using the expertise of the university which is a seat of learning and research. Clearly the closeness of the new centre to the university is important because while there are other Innovation Centres, the nearest one to Canterbury is Sittingbourne."

UKC vice-chancellor, Prof David Melville added: "It represents a real and exciting opportunity for the university as well as the local business community. Such a centre on campus will give businesses easy access to the university's research strengths, particularly in physical sciences, bio-sciences, computing, electronics and social care."